Overcoming Depression: The Curse of the Strong

by Tim Cantopher

Dr. Cantopher provides a comprehensive, accessible overview of depressive illness, which affects over 15.5 million people in the United States. Guiding the reader through the nature of depression, its history, symptoms, causes, and treatments, as well as myths about it along the way. Warm and supportive, this new edition, which also includes the latest on medications, stresses that sufferers should not blame themselves but can take hope from the fact that there is meaning in their illness and that getting better is a real option.

Generously supplied with illuminating anecdotes and insights, this book has specific advice about what to do if you are currently unwell, as well as valuable information for caregivers, medical professionals, or anyone interested in this destructive illness, which is set to become the second biggest health burden in the world after heart disease.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology

130 pages, Paperback

First published August 24, 2015

About the author

Dr. Tim Cantopher studied at University College, London, and University College Hospital. He trained as a psychiatrist at St James' Hospital, Portsmouth, and St George's, University of London. He has been a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists since 1983 and was elected fellow of the college in 1999. He worked as a consultant psychiatrist with the Priory Group of Hospitals from 1993 until his retirement from clinical practice in 2015. Depressive Illness: The Curse of the Strong was Dr. Cantopher's first, and remains his bestselling, book.

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to being very informative it's was about strictly regarding Clinical depression which to me was much easier to comprehend, since that's what I've been diagnosed with. I loved the way he broke down the different medications and the side effects. I've gone for years yet to discover what a MOHA inhibitor was, just something when I asked about was told not to worry about. I gained a lot of valuable information regarding different therapies and how to handle my recovery. It seems like it had written the book to me personally because I seem to fall into the trap that a lot of his examples do. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is suffering from depression. Thank you, Westminister John Knox Press and NetGalley for providing me an e-galley for my honest review.

[Tanya Marlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was previously published under a different title and publisher (without the ‘overcoming’ bit). It’s written by a psychiatrist. He makes clear that he is talking about the kind of depression that is ‘stress-related’ (as opposed to bipolar or other types of depression which are part of a person’s chemical make-up), which is to say that it is caused by overloading the system repeatedly until a fuse blows. This is why, he argues, depression affects the strong, not the weak – for it is they who constantly take on the burdens of others as well as themselves, until their body snaps and they develop a depressive illness.
He is very helpful at striking the balance in describing depression as a physical condition, which is not your fault, whilst at the same time offering suggestions of lifestyle changes you can make to give your body the best chance it can have to heal. Obviously, it is just one person’s philosophy about depression and its causes and cures, so should be treated as such, but I found it very helpful.

Some of the things I found most helpful: he is very good at explaining what the different anti-depressants do, and the fact that they don’t ‘artificially raise your mood’ but restore it to what it should be; he is also good at explaining the principle of pacing, not doing more than your body can manage, and listening to your body. From this point of view, his advice is good for anyone with a chronic illness which causes them limitations and requires them listening to their body – it’s one of the best descriptions of pacing I’ve found. (NB he is careful to state that he is not addressing M.E. or chronic fatigue syndrome, just depressive illness). If there is someone struggling with being diagnosed with depression for the first time, feeling guilty or like there’s a stigma to taking medication, I would recommend this book.

[ProofProfessor · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you suffer from depression, and you 'use' working very hard and long in order to resist it, this is the book to read. For me, the subtitle says it all.

[Sveltesylph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully insightful and informative

I love how this book lays out the biological effects of depression on your brain, then goes on to discuss possible reasons and and lays out treatment, recovery and continued well being.

I have learned a great deal of common sense and sensible information that will help me cope with my depression better because I am now armed with the information I need on how my body is reacting to not just physical stimuli, but also emotional, and that holistic approach is exactly what is required when dealing with a crippling condition such as clinical depression

[Eline Zhang · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good. It had nice tips and information about meds and treatment. I wouldn't say it's a life saving book when your suffering with depression but it's interesting to have a professional's input on the matter. Most of it is very matter-of-fact and will appeal more to people who are more rational than sensitive.

[Amanda's · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I have ever read on this subject. It's written by that rarest of beasts, a compassionate doctor. Highly recommended.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed reviews and feeling about this one. I do really appreciate any effort to inform the public about medications, treatments and actally try to explain what most just put a label and write unending prescriptions. However he still seems to believe that medications are the answer, even when he admits that modern medicine still doesn't know melatonin and serotonin work. I would also add that while he says depression is not anyone's fault and your body will break down and create depression for his list of reasons... that still doesn't explain why someone who goes through the same or worse suffering comes out of it without depression. That gives an even more hopeless situation than if the depression is either preventable or curable without medication. I should know. I have almost every single of his symptoms of depression but would not consider myself in the least bit depressed. I am happy and content, life is just different now. Doctors have tried to put me on a number of medications for depression, all leave me sicker than before. If it was such a clear medical cause, why do none of their medications help, but make me sicker? Almost everyone I know is this way. When my trials and suffering hit, when panic or indecision came I assumed it was normal and knew I would survive it, and I did. For me, how I thought made all the difference in my body's reaction to trials and pain. Sadly it has been proven while hormones do effect mood, your mood, thoughts and environment can effect those same very hormones. Your body can correct itself, now I don't know about bipolar or some other mental disorders, but he said this was a physical disease, well science has even shown those hormones we daily can effect and change just as much as they can effect us. Books like this may help some people and some period may need mediation, but I think this book does a disservice to the majority who could improve on their own and live without a dependance on drugs with neverending side effects. Teach people how to deal with stress rather than give them drugs to cover the symptoms of them handling a situation badly (which is just as medically proven). But in a culture where everyone wants to play the victim and have their feelings validated, authors and psychiatrists like this one are respected... but respect doesn't make them right. Especially when they have no proof, that their opinion is true (depression can't be presented or self corrected) or the only solution (non medication methods).

[Teri Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very conversational tone, a little sarcastic sometimes. Basic conclusions are the same things my therapist is always saying. The "how you got here" is a useful reframe for me.